12 Habits Destroying Your Teeth

Sweets and fruit juice have long been known as a risk factor for the diseases of teeth. But there are other seemingly innocent activities, which can be dangerous for our mouth. Even though you take good care of your teeth and oral health, the risk to face serious problems may be high due to such dangerous habits.

1. Using teeth as an opener

Many of us have seen people who open bottles with the help of teeth. Even more people use their teeth to open bags or packages of chips. Dentists warn against using teeth as an opener, scissors or any other instrument. This increases the risk of fractures and teeth root injuries dramatically.

2. Piercing of the tongue, lips and cheeks

The fashion of face piercing has spread very well, but this trend is dangerous for the health of the oral cavity. According to dentists, these decorations often cause complications. Piercing may cause bleeding and swelling of the tongue, as well as the surrounding tissue. Besides, piercing or lip jewelry can cause chronic injuries of teeth.

3. Sports without mouth guards

It is much more common to see football players, hockey players and even boxers without a mouth guard, although this device protects the teeth from serious injuries and fractures. Dentists recommend using a mouth guard both if you are a professional athlete or a student who takes part in various competitions. In general, a mouth guard should be an indispensable item for the men leading an active lifestyle.

4. Chewing ice

Cool drinks often contain ice cubes, but using them for other purposes increases the risk of serious injuries. So never try to chew ice.

5. Using lozenges to treat a cold

With the first signs of a cold, we often go to the pharmacy to buy special lozenges. They can cause the destruction of the tooth enamel, though they have some medical properties. The fact is that lozenges are saturated with sugar.

6. Incorrect tooth whitening

According to the Canadian Dental Association, the procedure of tooth whitening at home or in the dentist’s office is completely safe, if it is carried out by experienced professionals. It is important to remember that even when whitening is done according to the rules, the procedure should be discontinued if the patient feels irritation or swelling, or if the gum tissue and teeth develop increased sensitivity.

7. Brushing teeth immediately after consuming acidic food

If you consume foods and beverages with high acidity (e.g., orange juice), they can cause the destruction of the tooth enamel. But in any case, you should not brush your teeth right after lunch or dinner. In this case, the toothbrush will cause even greater harm to the enamel. Doctors recommend waiting half an hour before cleaning – it is enough for saliva to dissolve acid in the mouth.

8. Hot drinks after a cold dish

For example, drinking too hot tea immediately as you enter a warm room after staying outside in cold weather is dangerous for the health of your teeth. It can cause cracks on the tooth surface. These specific cracks that are barely visible to the naked eye are caused by an abrupt change in temperature. The point is that our teeth are made of a special material – dentin, coated with enamel. If the temperature changes rapidly, the enamel is exposed to excessive pressure.

9. Swimming in a pool with the mouth open

It is also dangerous for the health of your teeth to bathe with your mouth open. We are talking about the pools, which are cleaned with the help of bleach. In most of these establishments chlorine level is not regulated strictly, and when placed in the mouth water causes erosion of the enamel. This pathologic process leads to the loss of the hard tissue from the tooth surface. Chlorine in water can cause discoloration of the teeth and make them more sensitive.

10. Antihistamines

The use of cold medicines and antihistamines for allergies causes dry mouth, which in the long run leads to tooth enamel damage. These medications block the production of histamine – a substance that is released by the immune system when the body is under attack. However, the blockade of histamine receptors forces other receptors to shut down, including those which are on the tongue and in the mouth. This process triggers a pause in producing saliva.

11. Flights

Air flights reduce the time that we spend on travelling. But it is very dangerous for the health of the mouth to travel by plane immediately after having a seal. Changing the height has a negative impact on the sealed channels, caused by the abrupt change in pressure. This may lead to pain and the destruction of tooth enamel. The same is observed when climbing or skydiving.

12. Diving

Finally, scuba diving poses a great risk for the health of your teeth. It can cause pain in the jaw joint, as well as problems with the gum tissue and pain in the teeth. There is a specific definition of this phenomenon: doctors call it a diver’s mouth syndrome.